During this week, the Ministry of Tourism hosts representatives of U.S. based consulting firm, The Innovation Group, an integrated gaming advisory firm with public and private sector experience. The Innovation Group is a premier provider of consulting services for the gaming and hospitality industry, offering a full range of services including Market Analysis and Feasibility; Financial Analysis; Marketing and Operations Analysis; Economic, Social & Community Impact; Legislative and Legal Services; Site Analysis & Project Development; and Data Analysis, just to name a few.
The Innovation Group team is represented by Mr. Michael Soll, President of the company, and Mr. Michael Vanaskie, Director of Operations Planning, who will also be managing the project for Anguilla. The initial visit to Anguilla is to conduct preliminary investigations and engage a small cross-section of public and private sector stakeholders on the potential social, economic and financial impacts of the gaming market on Anguilla’s tourism economy. To date, the group has provided the Government of Anguilla a scope for work supporting Anguilla’s research into the feasibility of establishing casino and related gaming activity under multiple scenarios, and the effects such developments in the gaming market could have on tourism volumes, spending, fiscal gains and on the local resident population.
The Innovation Group has experience in more than 100 market areas, with private organizations, professional associations and government agencies. It has worked in almost all 50 U.S. States, and has completed projects in Europe, South America, Africa, China, Canada, the Middle East, Mexico and the Caribbean. The Group has conducted a similar study for the Government of Bermuda, where they were asked to recommend a gaming implementation platform, assess market-wide gaming potential for casino, Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) or lottery based gaming, and recommend what pattern of distribution would best meet the economic development goals of the island’s government.
The Government of Anguilla recognizes that there is a divergence of views on the very sensitive matter of gaming and casinos in Anguilla, and is also cognizant that Anguilla is in a very competitive international and regional tourism marketplace – so there is need to provide a more diverse tourism product for our visitors and varied sets of experiences that may help to attract more visitors to our shores. While the Government of Anguilla does not currently have a policy position on gaming, it is taking an objective position to assessing the final report on the findings of The Innovation Group, as well as to having discussions with the various local stakeholders and other entities on the way forward.
– Press Release
